Legendary
by monkeyCsaw
Summary: "Her chest ached. Whether the cold or the shards of her heart had anything to do with it, she wasn't sure. All she knew was the pain. And the yellow eyes that refused to fade. She looked once more into the dark ravine. Clarity." revised *Note: rating is subject to change as the story progresses.*
1. Prologue

******Hello all! Here's the *drumroll* revised Legendary! This has a slightly different theme and plot to it, as you can undoubtedly tell from this very different prologue. I hope you enjoy this version as much, if not more, than the last! **

**Thank you to all the reviews from last time! I truly appreciate all your support. I'm sorry this took so long and I hope you can forgive me for putting you through all this. **

**And so, here is the beginning. **

* * *

**Prologue**

She had sought clarity all her life.

In the water of the lake. In her brother's warm voice. In the white, white snow.

Clarity.

It had always eluded her. The water too often turned brown; not through any fault of its own, but still she blamed the lake. Her brother's voice was colored by his emotions and she grew angry when she realized not even his voice could bring her what she so desperately sought. The snow was too easily perturbed; its beautiful purity forever ruined by paw prints and scattered dead leaves and bare brown tree branches.

She could never seem to find it. Beautiful, sweet clarity. Life was too tangled and crooked. The vines cats clung to, their choices in life, were interwoven with each other so that there was no clear path to the center, to the vine which started all of them.

No, no matter how hard she tried, clarity danced just above her reach, tantalizing her with its pure voice and sickeningly deceptive laugh.

Until she looked into his yellow eyes.

And now as she stumbled over her own weary paws in a strange forest that was once not so strange, she tried to find it again. Brambles tore at her fur and blood streamed from a nick in her ear. But she continued, the pain a distant buzz compared to the muddled jumble of thoughts her mind had become. Dried blood still caked her claws.

_Clarity. Clarity. Clarity._

It had become a chant, something to keep her heavy legs moving.

His yellow eyes hovered just before her and she kept chasing them. The ground sloped steadily upward. Her heart pounded and for a long time she thought it might burst; but she kept running.

Finally, the trees ended. She skidded to a halt, her claws gripping the edge of the ravine desperately. Pebbles and rocks fell past her, into the ravine, their echoes sad. Her breathing was short and laborious and her ears were flat against her head, trying unconsciously to shut out the sound of her own mind. But she could not run from herself.

She stared into the ravine unseeingly. _Clarity. _The wind was cold as it ruffled her fur, sending shivers up her spine. Her tail lashed behind her. Her eyes narrowed to slits.

_Clarity._

In one moment she saw everything she had ever been and said and done. She saw every crack she had spent seasons filling and every crease others had tried so desperately to straighten out.

She blinked and stared at the ravine, finally registering its presence. The shadows were inviting and she sighed as the wind danced between her ears.

Her chest ached.

Whether the cold or the shards of her heart had anything to do with it, she wasn't sure.

All she knew was the pain. And the yellow eyes that refused to fade.

She looked once more into the dark ravine.

_Clarity._

* * *

**Allegiances will come next chapter as well as Chapter 1. **_  
_

**So, please tell me your thoughts on this new prologue! I am excited to hear your opinions. **

**The blog will be receiving some much needed construction after this is posted (you can still find the link on my profile). And this story is also still a work in progress. I'm tweaking some of Hazel's personality and a lot of the history behind this story. I'm adding some new elements and taking out old elements. And not to mention adding some new characters, which I am very excited for. **

**~Until next time, Monkey~**


	2. Chapter 1

**So I realized how horribly I introduced myself last chapter. To all my readers, new and old: Hello! This is Monkey. This is the revised version of _Legendary_ and I truly hope you enjoy it. And hey, if you do, drop a review now and then, please? Even if you don't like it, if you have any tips or criticisms you'd like to pass on, please, I welcome them. Anything that improves my writing is welcomed :) Here are the Allegiances and the first chapter *eeep!***

* * *

**Allegiances**

**ShadowClan:**

_Leader:_ Smokestar- smoky grey tom, dark amber eyes.

_Deputy:_ Shademask- tabby tom with pale amber eyes.

_Medicine Cat:_ Darkflower- small black she-cat, bright orange eyes

_Warriors:_

Frostlight: white tom with mismatched blue-gold eyes

Jaysong: dark blue she-cat, amber eyes

_Apprentice, Wingpaw_

Sparrowflight: pale tabby she-cat, gold eyes

_Apprentice, Silverpaw_

Honeyfur: honey-colored she-cat, gold eyes

Snakepelt: skinny black tom with dark blue eyes

Oakclaw: brown tom with darker tabby markings, green eyes

Rowanpelt: brown-red tom with pale green eyes

_Apprentice, Branchpaw_

Foxtail: dark red she-cat, pale green eyes

Blackfrost: jet-black tom with scar on left shoulder, dark blue eyes

_Apprentices:_

Silverpaw: silver-blue she-cat, dark blue eyes

Wingpaw: pale grey she-cat, dark blue eyes

Cloudpaw: white tom, gold eyes

_Queens:_

Swiftlight: pretty pale tabby she-cat, pale blue eyes. Mother of Shademask's kits

Bluestripe: blue-grey she-cat, yellow eyes. Mother of Smokestar's kits.

_Kits:_

Owlkit: golden-brown tabby tom, bright yellow eyes. _Bluestripe. _

Pinekit: smoky grey tom, dark amber eyes. _Bluestripe._

Nightkit: black tom with pale amber eyes. _Swiftlight_.

Bramblekit: tabby she-kit, pale blue eyes. _Swiftlight._

Hazelkit: tiny pale tan she-kit with streaks of darker brown on flanks and face. Pale blue eyes. _Swiftlight._

_Elders:_

Finchstep: pale tabby she-cat, gold eyes

Talonwhisker: black and white tom, pale green eyes

**RiverClan:**

_Leader:_ Larchstar: pale ginger she-cat, dark blue eyes.

_Deputy:_ Robinclaw: red-brown tom, pale green eyes.

_Apprentice, Leopardpaw_

_Medicine_ _Cat:_ Willowfur: dark grey she-cat, pale green eyes.

_Warriors:_

Leafstripe: tortoiseshell she-cat, dark amber eyes.

Berryclaw: large tabby tom, pale blue eyes.

_Apprentice, Rosepaw_

Thornfang: dusty brown tom with black tabby markings, pale amber eyes

_Apprentice, Hawkpaw_

Firetail: dark ginger tom, pale green eyes.

Snowfeather: pretty white she-cat, dark blue eyes.

Yellowtalon: sandy colored she-cat, dark blue eyes.

Birchclaw: large brown tom, dark amber eyes.

_Apprentices_:

Hawkpaw: large reddish tom, yellow eyes.

Rosepaw: cream colored she-cat, pale blue eyes.

Leopardpaw: unusually spotted gold-brown she-cat, dark blue eyes

_Queens_:

Cloudsong: fluffy white she-cat, dark green eyes. Mother of Thornfang's kits.

_Kits_:

Talonkit: black and white tom, pale amber eyes.

Frostkit: white tom, dark green eyes.

Birdkit: white, black, and ginger mottled she-kit, dark green eyes

_Elders_:

Eaglewing: mottled old tabby tom with pale green eyes.

**WindClan**:

_Leader_: Cedarstar: smoky grey she-cat, orange eyes.

_Apprentice, Galepaw_

_Deputy_: Larkflight: pale brown she-cat, pale blue eyes.

_Medicine_ _Cat_: Twigclaw: dark brown tabby tom, pale amber eyes

_Apprentice, Goldpaw_

_Warriors_:

Raventalon: black tom with dark amber eyes.

_Apprentice, Lilypaw_

Badgerclaw: large black and white tom, dark blue eyes.

Echosong: tortoiseshell she-cat, yellow eyes.

Tigerpelt: tabby tom with pale green eyes.

Mousefur: scrawny brown she-cat, pale blue eyes.

Tawnyclaw: mottled ginger, white, and black she-cat with pale amber eyes.

Whitefur: albino she-cat

Iceclaw: white tom with ice-blue eyes.

_Apprentices_:

Galepaw: smoky grey tom, pale amber eyes.

Lilypaw: blue-grey she-cat, dark blue eyes.

Swiftpaw: black and white tom, dark blue eyes

Goldpaw: pretty gold, black, and white mottled she-cat, pale green eyes

_Queens_:

Greycloud: pale grey she-cat, pale blue eyes. Mother of Badgerclaw's kits.

Sparrowtail: dark brown tabby she-cat, dark green eyes. Mother of Iceclaw's kit.

_Kits_:

Fernkit: cream colored she-kit, dark blue eyes. _Greycloud_

Honeykit: light brown she-kit, pale blue eyes. _Greycloud_

Adderkit: red-brown tom, pale blue eyes. _Greycloud_

Heatherkit: dark brown she-kit, dark green eyes. _Sparrowtail._

_Elders_:

Oakshadow: black and brown tom with dark blue eyes.

Greyclaw: smoke grey tom with pale green eyes.

**ThunderClan**:

_Leader_: Reedstar: golden brown tom, pale amber eyes.

_Deputy_: Whitefeather: slender white she-cat, pale blue eyes.

_Medicine_ _Cat_: Smokelight: grey-black she-cat, dark blue eyes. _Apprentice, Sandpaw_

_Warriors_:

Liontalon: pale tabby tom, yellow eyes.

Beechcloud: slender dusty brown she-cat, yellow eyes.

_Apprentice, Slatepaw_

Brackentail: golden-brown tom, dark blue eyes.

_Apprentice, Snakepaw_

Nightsong: jet black she-cat, pale green eyes.

Barkclaw: brown tom with lighter tabby markings, orange eyes.

Heatherflight: golden she-cat, pale blue eyes.

Greyfur: large smoky grey tom, dark green eyes.

Hawkeye: ginger tom with yellow eyes.

_Apprentice, Rainpaw_

_Apprentices_:

Sandpaw: pale ginger she-cat, orange eyes.

Slatepaw: large grey tom, pale blue eyes.

Snakepaw: brown tabby tom, pale blue eyes

Rainpaw: silver-grey she-cat, pale green eyes

_Queens:_

Lightstep: pale tortoiseshell she-cat with pale green eyes. Expecting Reedstar's kits.

_Kits_:

Eaglekit: black and white tom, yellow eyes

_Elders_:

Bramblefur: heavily scarred tabby she-cat, yellow eyes.

Swiftstep: white tom with amber eyes.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

It was a blizzard. There were no other words to describe it. The snow was probing and swirling, turning the entire world white. The wind was a living thing as it danced and wailed.

A dark tabby tom sat hunched outside a den made of branches woven together. He winced each time his mate howled; she had been laboring for nearly an hour.

Inside the den, a white she-cat groaned as at last, the contractions ended. Her labor had been an especially difficult one; the medicine cat's face had been tight with anxiety the entire time. She had come dangerously close to losing her patient this time.

Swiftlight gave an exhausted moan, leaning her sleek head back. "Shademask…please, Darkflower," she panted. And then her eyes closed as she gave away to sleep, too exhausted to even name her newborn kits.

Darkflower poked her head out, feeling her heart give a little twinge at the expression on the poor tom's face. Shademask's head shot up, amber eyes wide with unrestrained fear.

"Come and meet your kits, Shademask."

Shademask entered gingerly, tail-tip twitching nervously. She watched as his face changed from one of worry to one of awe as he took in the sight of his newly born kits. He turned to Darkflower slowly.

"Is she okay?" he whispered. Darkflower nodded, bending forward to groom the kits while their mother rested.

"She had a very hard time. She'll be sleeping for a long time. It's best we don't disturb her," Darkflower answered between licks. Shademask breathed a quiet sigh of relief before inspecting his kits more closely, breathing in their scents for the first time.

The first and biggest was a tabby she-kit, her pelt identical to her father's. Sleeping soundly next to her was a slightly smaller black tom who mewled as Shademask rasped his tongue carefully across his son's pelt.

He looked at the last, a tiny she-kit, and blinked gratefully at Darkflower. "Thank you, for doing this."

Her orange eyes narrowed quite suddenly. For a moment, Shademask wondered if she would claw his ears off. But she only sucked in a deep breath and muttered, "Secrets like these have a way of getting out, Shademask."

He could only nod before turning to examine the last kit. Her fur was a pale tan with streaks of darker brown on her torso and face. She was extraordinarily small, so small Shademask worried he might hurt her if he so much as touched her with his nose.

Shademask sighed, leaning forward so only her little ears could catch his whispered words. "Welcome to this cold life, little one."

* * *

**ThunderClan**

The little tom-kit bumped against his legs awkwardly, mewling plaintively each time. The gold-brown warrior had no idea how to hold the kit in a more comfortable way while he plowed through the snow-covered forest. His main concern was helping the kit survive the night.

It was perhaps two weeks old; its ears were still flattened to its small head and its half-lidded eyes were a vivid kit-blue.

Reedstar finally stumbled into camp, his relief overwhelming. He paused for a moment to adjust his hold on the kit before beginning his journey to the nursery. He was waylaid, however, by a young, slender white she-cat. She glanced at the kit in his jaws for a moment before shaking her head and murmuring, "Nightsong just lost her last kit."

Reedstar's eyes closed. He set the kit down on his front paws before facing his deputy once more. "How is she?" he asked.

"I haven't seen her so heartbroken since Stormeye died."

Reedstar shook his head. "If any cat deserved kits, it was Nightsong," he muttered. The white she-cat dipped her head in agreement. Her pale blue eyes were filled with concern and a deep sorrow.

Reedstar glanced at the little tom-kit huddled at his paws. His deputy followed his gaze, finally registering the presence of the little kit.

"I found him in the middle of the forest. No scents or paw prints."

The she-cat sighed. "What mother could abandon her kit like that?" she asked quietly.

Reedstar shrugged. "Whitefeather, could you come with me to give the kit to Nightsong? I'm not sure how to—"

"Of course."

Reedstar picked the kit up once more, a bit more carefully this time, and continued on his way to the nursery. Whitefeather remained close at his side, eyes narrowed against the still-falling snow. They entered cautiously.

Inside, it was warm and smelled of milk. A silver-grey she-cat blinked up at them, her only kit fast asleep at her stomach. Her eyes widened when she saw the kit swinging from Reedstar's jaws. And then they narrowed. But she remained silent.

Whitefeather led him to the back of the nursery, where a black she-cat was curled into a tight ball, a large pale tabby tom curled around her. He looked up at his leader with tired eyes. "Reedstar," he sighed, somehow sounding many seasons older. Reedstar dipped his head, setting the kit down gently.

"Liontalon. I am so sorry," Reedstar murmured. Whitefeather rasped her tongue against Nightsong's ear gently.

The grieving queen raised her head reluctantly. Her green eyes were dull. Reedstar thought he had never seen a cat look so empty.

"Reedstar," she greeted him hollowly. Her voice was quiet and gentle still.

Reedstar glanced at Whitefeather, who sat down beside him and wrapped her fluffy tail around the black and white tom-kit.

"Nightsong," she began carefully. "We know your kits could never be replaced. But Reedstar found this kit in the forest, without a mother, and Streamtail's milk is gone…"

She trailed off, unsure of where to go from there. Nightsong's ears straightened and she leaned forward ever so slightly to look at the little kit, who had begun to mewl again.

"Alone, you say?" she murmured. Whitefeather nodded, nudging the kit a little bit closer to the queen.

"He's not quite ready to be weaned," Reedstar interjected. "He needs a mother."

Nightsong blinked at him slowly, his words beginning to dawn on her. "You want me to take him in?"

He could only nod.

Nightsong sucked in a sharp breath. Liontalon growled deep in his chest. "Reedstar," he warned. The gold-brown tom hurried to explain.

"It's like Whitefeather said: I know he won't replace your kits, Nightsong. But you're the only viable candidate." His shoulders slumped. "I couldn't leave him to die."

Nightsong nodded. "I don't know why my kits were taken from me," she murmured, almost to herself. "But I won't let him die."

Reedstar exhaled loudly, causing Whitefeather to startle slightly. Nightsong leaned forward and gently guided the kit to her stomach, where he began to suckle quite rapidly. A purr burst from her throat and her eyes gentled.

"Thank you, Nightsong," Reedstar breathed. She gazed at him with something akin to joy in her eyes.

"No," she mewed. "Thank you, Reedstar."

Liontalon began to purr as well and Reedstar left the couple gazing with wonder at their adopted son.

Whitefeather turned to him, mewling, "She'll be a good mother to him."

Reedstar blinked his agreement before trotting off to his den, suddenly exhausted by the long day.

* * *

**I really don't like this chapter. The writing sucks and it's choppy and that ending is just ugh. But it was the best I could do. Next chapter will be a bit better; I'm still getting back into the groove of this story, so expect the first few chapters to be less than perfect. I'm also pretty sure this chapter is riddled with mistakes but c'est la vie. **

**For those of you wondering, yes, that tom-kit is Eaglekit. No, he is not Reedstar's son with some randoms she-cat from WindClan, which I just realized is what it looks like. Reedstar is a very young, still rather inexperienced leader. That's why he's a little nervous and unsure of himself and doesn't really possess the air of a leader yet. And no, I will not tell you the secret Darkflower mentions. What kind of author would I be if I did that? ;) review answers up on the blog!**

**~Until next time, Monkey~**


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